Lavandula plant named ‘KERBEEDARK’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lavandula angustifolia  plant named ‘KERBEEDARK’ is disclosed, characterized, by a compact, bushy and dense plant habit. Plants are free flowering, with uniquely short peduncles and dark violet flowers. The new variety is a  Lavandula angustifolia , suitable for outdoor landscape and container use.

Latin name of the genus and species: Lavandula angustifolia.

Variety denomination: ‘KERBEEDARK’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is the product of a planned breeding program under the direction of the inventors, David Kerley, Priscilla Kerley, Sarah Kerley, and Timothy Kerley, all citizens of the United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program was to produce new Lavandula angustifolia cultivars for commercial ornamental purposes. During the Summer of 2013, the inventors performed an open-pollination of 5 Lavandula angustifolia varieties, which included 4 proprietary, unnamed, unpatented Lavandula angustifolia varieties, and the unpatented proprietary variety Lavandula angustifolia BEEZEE ‘Power Blue’. This resulted in the selection of the new variety ‘Kerbeedark’ in July 2014. The breeding program and selection all took place at a commercial nursery in Cambridge, the United Kingdom.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘KERBEEDARK’ was first performed in Cambridge, UK in August 2014 by terminal vegetative cuttings and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘KERBEEDARK’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘KERBEEDARK’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘KERBEEDARK’ as a new and distinct Lavandula cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, bushy plants.     -   2. Short peduncles.     -   3. Free flowering.     -   4. Dark violet flowers.

PARENTAL COMPARISON

Exact parents cannot be identified for comparison, as this was an open-pollination and seed was bulk collected. In general, the new variety is more compact and floriferous than the five varieties used in the open-pollination. The new variety has a darker flower color than the possible parent, ‘Power Blue’.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘KERBEEDARK’ are similar to plants of the unpatented variety Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’ in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘KERBEEDARK’ differ in the following:

-   -   1. The new variety is a shorter plant than this comparator.     -   2. The new variety has shorter peduncles than this comparator.     -   3. The new variety has 3 buds that subtend from each bract,         while this comparator has 5 buds.     -   4. Flowers of the new variety are a darker violet than flowers         of this comparator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a typical plant of ‘KERBEEDARK’ grown outdoors in Cambridge, UK. The plant is approximately 1 year old shown in an approximately 10 inch pot.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close up view of a typical inflorescence.

FIG. 3 illustrates a comparison with the well-known commercial variety ‘Hidcote’. ‘KERBEEDARK’ is the denser plant on the left side of the photo, ‘Hidcote’ is on the right.

The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 2007 except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘KERBEEDARK’ plants grown outdoors in Cambridge, UK. The growing temperature ranged from approximately 0 to 10° C. at night to 10 to 20° C. during the day. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical flowering types. No chemical or photoperiodic treatments were given.

-   Botanical classification: Lavandula angustifolia ‘KERBEEDARK’. -   Age of the plant described: Approximately 17 weeks, in a 2 liter     pot.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to rooting: About 21 days at approximately 20° C. -   Root description: Fine, well branched, becoming woody with age.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Upright, slightly spreading. Dense at full flowering. -   Height: 16 cm to top of plant plane; 25 cm to top of flowers. -   Plant spread: 24 cm. -   Branching characteristics: Moderate branching. -   Diameter of lateral branches: Approximately 0.2 cm. -   Texture of lateral branches: Pubescent. -   Internode length: Approximately 1.1 cm. -   Strength of stem: Strong. -   Color of lateral branches: RHS Yellow-Green N148B. -   Number of leaves per lateral branch: 10.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite pairs alternate directions up stem.         -   Average length.—3.5 cm.         -   Average width.—0.6 cm.         -   Shape of blade.—Narrowly oblanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Attachment.—Sessile.         -   Margin.—Entire, slight undulation.         -   Texture of top surface.—Pubescent.         -   Texture of bottom surface.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Young foliage, upper side: RHS Yellow-Green 146A.             Young foliage, under side: RHS Yellow-Green 148B. Mature             foliage upper side: RHS Yellow-Green 147B. Mature foliage             under side: RHS Yellow-Green 147B.         -   Venation.—Type: One prominent mid-vein, with a network of             smaller veins. Venation color upper side: RHS Yellow-Green             146C. Venation color under side: RHS Yellow-Green 146B. -   Petiole: Not present.

FLOWER

-   Bloom period: Naturally blooming June to July. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Form.—Small single flower in verticillasters arranged in             spikes. Flowers have bracts. Corolla has 2 upper lips and 3             lower lips. -   Flower spikes:     -   -   Height.—3.7 cm.         -   Diameter.—1.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Cylindrical.         -   Flowers per spike.—Average range of 36 to 56 individual             flowers per spike, arranged in 6 to 7 whorls, each whorl             having 6 to 8 flowers. Very short distance between whorls,             about 2 mm. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Height.—0.7 cm.         -   Width.—0.3 cm.         -   Color.—Base RHS Yellow-Green 148D. Covered in hirsute hairs             of Violet-Blue N92D. Tip Violet-Blue 90A. -   Individual flower:     -   -   Corolla-length of upper lobes (2).—0.5 cm.         -   Corolla-length of lower lobes (3).—0.3 cm.         -   Corolla-width of upper lobes.—0.5 cm.         -   Corolla-width of lower lobes.—0.3 cm.         -   Corolla tube length.—About 0.3 cm.         -   Shape of upper lobes.—2 conjoined lobes, slightly hooded.         -   Shape of lower lobes.—3 smaller lobes, fused approximately ½             length.         -   Apex of upper lobes.—Blunt and rounded, slightly hooded.         -   Apex of lower lobes.—Acute rounded.         -   Texture of corolla.—Upper surface: Slightly savoyed, hirsute             towards tube of flower.         -   Texture of corolla.—Lower surface: Slightly savoyed and             hirsute.         -   Color when opening.—Upper surface: RHS Violet N88B.         -   Color when opening.—Lower surface: RHS Violet-Blue 90C.         -   Color when fully open.—RHS Violet-Blue 90B.         -   Corolla tube color.—Exterior RHS Violet-Blue 90D. Interior             RHS Violet-Blue 91C.         -   Calyx shape.—Tube.         -   Calyx width.—0.3 cm.         -   Sepal length.—0.6 cm.         -   Sepal texture.—Very hirsute.         -   Sepal color.—Flower open: RHS Violet-Blue N92D.         -   Sepal color.—Fully open: RHS Violet-Blue N92D. -   Inflorescence bracts:     -   -   Bract width.—0.6 cm.         -   Bract height.—0.4 cm.         -   Bract color.—Near RHS Grey-Brown 199C. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Peduncle length.—9.2 cm.         -   Peduncle diameter.—0.2 cm.         -   Color.—RHS Yellow-Green 148B.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Branching.—Lateral branching above foliage not observed. -   Other: Infertile bracts not observed.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Filament length: 0.3 cm. -   Anther length: 0.2 cm. -   Anther color: RHS Greyed-Orange 165A. -   Pollen color: RHS Greyed-Orange 165C. -   Pollen amount: Very sparse. -   Pistil length: 0.8 cm. -   Style length: 0.5 cm. -   Style color: RHS Greyed-Green 193D. -   Stigma color: Near RHS Yellow-Green 146D.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Fragrance: Strong lavender scent, both flowers and foliage. -   Disease resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to     diseases or pests has been observed in this variety. -   Drought tolerance and cold tolerance: Hardy perennial. Tolerates     high temperature to at least 32° C. Tolerates low temperatures to     −12° C. While specific drought tolerance has not been observed, once     plants are established very little water is necessary to maintain     plants. -   Fruit/seed production: Fruit and seed production not observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lavandula plant named ‘KERBEEDARK’ as herein illustrated and described. 